Lawrence Clark Powell (1906–2001)

$950. original green cloth, gilt-decorated spine, gilt lettering, t.e.g., others untrimmed. Frontis portrait and one leaf of manuscript facsimile. An interesting and uncommon edition of Leaves of Grass, which according to BAL contains the first appearance the 13 poems that comprise "Old Age Echoes" - though Myerson does not recognize that. Herbert Small was one of the founders of Small Maynard in Boston, and Leaves of Grass was one of their first publications, the rights to which they acquired from Whitman's literary executors. This copy may well have been one of the first ones off the press as there is also a signature, The matter of the cancel leaf "Good Bye My Fancy" is a possible reference to later issues having a hyphen between good and bye.… (more)

I read this over the course of a few months, and probably should have read it more slowly. Some of his poems really resonate for me, especially "Song of the Open Road" and "Song of Myself." Many of his poems have beautiful individual lines, but taken as a whole just become a jumble of words and lists, rapidly becoming tedious. I love his total acceptance of everyone, regardless of sex, his comfort with sexuality and physicality. I feel he was very authentic, especially given the times he lived in. His poems are a celebration of America and its people, rather than a call for change.… (more)